London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
38
Maternal Mortality.
During 1931 there were 15 deaths of women from diseases or
accidents of child-birth which is equivalent to a fatality rate of
6.06 per 1,000 births.
Twelve of these deaths occurred in hospital and three at home. The causes of death were certified as being:—
| Puerperal Sepsis | 5 |
| Accidental Haemorrhage | 1 |
| Embolism and Thrombosis | 2 |
| Obstructed Labour | 3 |
| Shock following instrumental delivery | 1 |
| Ruptured Ectopic Gestation | 1 |
| Shock due to partial displacement of Placenta | 1 |
| Acute Nephritis and Toxaemia | 1 |
| 1926. | 1927. | 1928. | 1929. | 1930. | Mean 1926-30 | 1931. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths from Puerperal Sepsis | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2.6 | 5 |
| Deaths from other causes connected with child-birth | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5.0 | 10 |
| Total Maternal Deaths connected with child-birth | 10 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 7.6 | 15 |
| Rate per 1,000 births— Puerperal Sepsis | 1.01 | 0.36 | 1.09 | 0.76 | 1. 51 | 0.95 | 2.02 |
| Other Maternal deaths | 2.36 | 1.78 | 1.46 | 1.15 | 2.26 | 1.80 | 4.04 |
| Rate per 1,000 births all Maternal deaths in child-birth | 3.37 | 2.14 | 2.55 | 1.91 | 3.77 | 2.75 | 6.06 |
| Rate per 1,000 population— Puerperal Sepsis | .017 | .006 | .018 | .012 | .025 | .016 | .031 |
| Other Maternal deaths | .041 | .030 | .024 | .019 | .037 | .030 | .063 |
| Rate per 1,000 population all Maternal deaths in childbirth | .058 | .036 | .042 | .031 | .062 | .046 | .094 |
There was, it will be noted from an examination of the above
Table, a marked increase in Maternal Mortality in Battersea in
1931. In accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of
Health, each of the 15 deaths of Battersea mothers was carefully
investigated and reports were submitted to the Ministry in connection
with the Departmental Committee which was set up in 1928
and which has presented two interim Reports. The final Report
is not yet published.
It will be of interest in this connection to refer to the importance
of Ante-Natal examination of expectant mothers. In Battersea
in 1931 there were 2,477 births registered in the Borough. Of